OUTDOOR ART CLUB GARDEN TOUR

Historic Mill Valley Estates April 30, 2015. 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Patrons of this year’s Garden Tour will have the privilege and experience of in-depth visits to three large and historic estates, all prominent in the early history of Mill Valley.

Garden Tour Stop #1 – Garden on the Mountain This three-acre estate is the largest piece of private property between Mount Tamalpais State Park and Marin Municipal Watershed District watershed lands. Over a 20-year organic process of development, landscaping and water features have brought nature closer into the human living spaces and enhanced the site’s natural beauty. The original stonework, paths and plantings have been masterfully augmented and are now a small part of a coherent expanse of dry-stacked stonewalls and paths meandering through grounds worthy of a park designation.

Garden Tour Stop #2 - Original Klyce Family Home and Grounds At the 1890 auction of Mill Valley parcels, designer and builder Harvey Klyce purchased a sizable piece of land on Throckmorton Ave. He built a classic shingle style house for his family and headquartered his construction business on this expansive property. Originally with a barn, woodshop, lumber sheds and caretaker’s cottage the property was later subdivided. Garden Tour patrons will visit three separate and differently landscaped properties that now thrive at this historic site.

Garden Tour Stop #3 - Crown Point This newly restored one-acre estate sits on the biggest residential parcel near town center, just a few hundred feet above Mill Valley’s Depot Square. The lush, almost tropical garden, with many hundred year-old plantings, now has added pools and streams. The 5,000 square foot 1901 Himalayan-style house was inelegantly subdivided into five separate apartments in WWII, but has now been elegantly restored back to an impressive single-family residence, one with imaginatively displayed ethnic and folk art.

Click here for a downloadable PDF summary of detailed garden descriptions for all 3 Garden Tour Stops.A Short History of The Outdoor Art ClubThe Outdoor Art Club was founded in 1902 making it one of the oldest women's clubs in the West. The Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the maintenance and preservation of its Bernard Maybeck clubhouse building, a designated National Historic Landmark. The Club has been an anchor in the community for philanthropic works and gifts for over 100 years. Generous cash donations, gifts of handmade clothing and goods, coordination of blood drives, in-kind use of property, and numerous volunteer hours are given annually to the City of Mill Valley and Marin County. The beneficiaries include but are not limited to school and educational programs, retirement homes, cultural arts programs, health improvement programs, nature conservation and beautification and non-profit organizations. These gifts are given within the original mission of the Outdoor Art Club as a commitment to the quality of life as community service. The major public fundraiser is the Garden Tour. Over the last 18 years, the Outdoor Art Club has been contributed more than $381,400 to Marin County non-profits and community projects. Click here for more information about The Outdoor Art Club's philanthropic contributions.

Tour is Sold Out. Thank you for your support.

Please Note: Tour and Luncheon Tickets are Non-Refundable. Tickets are NOT mailed. Check in at the Registration Table at the Outdoor Art Club on the day of the Tour and receive a ticket wristband. Registration Table is open from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm.PARKING VOUCHER. After you have purchased a ticket, parking vouchers that will allow you a two additional free hours of metered parking may be printed off the website by clicking on the link below. Please note, you must feed the meter for two hours of parking, and then place the voucher on your dashboard - so it is visible to the parking meter enforcement worker - to give you the additional two hours for free. For more information, read about parking under FAQ tab on website.

Tour Transportation

9:30 am - 4:00 pm

Shuttle or Cycle.Shuttle buses leave from the Outdoor Art Club starting at 9:30 am and run continuously until the last shuttle leaves the club at 2:00 pm. Shuttles continue to run between homes until the gardens close at 4:00 pm. Private cars are not allowed, however, a self-directed bike tour map is available at the Registration desk. You must wear a helmut and sign a release of liability. Click here for more bike information.Please wear comfortable walking shoes. Some outdoor gardens are hazardous to navigate with narrow paths, precarious steps, and no safety railing. Walking sticks are allowed, and may be advisable for some people.Please Note: NO Photography allowed at the gardens.

Luncheon: Curried Chicken Salad

Tour and Lunch are Sold Out. Thank you for your support!

A lovely Curried Chicken Salad will be served at the Club. Vegetarian option of Curried Tofu Salad can also be ordered. The Luncheon includes a delicious home-baked desserts buffet. Order your lunch early because it typically sells out.Wine is also available for purchase.

On the Patio Marketplace

9:00 am - 4:00pm at the Outdoor Art Club

On the Patio Marketplace. Gifts, jewelry, scarves, and plants will be available for purchase on the patio. Perfect place to shop early for your Mothers' day gifts and graduation gifts.

Silent Auction

9:00am - 4:00pm at the Outdoor Art Club

Look for the Silent Auction table on the patio at the Outdoor Art Club on the day of the tour. The silent auction will close at 2:30 pm. Each item will have a take away bid listed. If you want to be sure to win it, you can make the take away bid, and it is yours.